A Very Flexible Curried Lentil Stew

• servings: Serves4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ghee, or another fat of your choice

1 medium onion or 2 shallots, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated, plus more if desired

1 teaspoon ground turneric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Kosher salt

1 cup dried lentils or another pulse or bean of your choice

1 cup diced or grated vegetables ofyour choice or another ½ cup lentils

4 Cups greens, stems and leaves separated and cut into bite-size pieces

3 cups stock of your choice or water, or more as needed

1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk, ideally full-fat

Steamed rice or grains, flatbread, or roti, for serving

TOP IT OFF: Stews of all kinds benefit from a swirl of something creamy, like a scoop of plain yogurt or sour cream. Plus, we'll never say no to a handful of chopped fresh cilantro or mint, a squeeze of lime, and a dash of fish sauce to punch up the flavor.

Directions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the spices and a good pinch of salt and stir, letting the spices bloom and fry a bit in the oil for another minute or so.

Add the lentils, diced vegetables, and hearty greens stems, then the stock and coconut milk. Season to taste with more salt, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring every so often, until the lentils are soft and the stew has thickened to your liking, about 30 minutes for red lentils. If the stew looks too dry, add a splash of water.

Once the lentils have softened to your liking, stir in the chopped leafy greens and any grated or otherwise quick-cooking vegetable. Make sure they get fully covered with stew so they wilt down and cook until soft, which should take just a minute or two for lighter greens like spinach, 3 to 5 minutes for thicker leaves like collards.

Taste again and season if needed, then serve with your choice of garnishes and a starch.

Notes

Source: Perfectly Good Food, by Margaret Li and Irene Li

Dal is one of Mei's husband's favorite dishes, So she often makes a version with whatever she can find in the fridge. Magic can happen with just a bag of lentils and a cupboard of spices, but stirring in leafy greens, grating in root vegetables, or cooking down some fresh tomatoes adds bulk, texture, and all kinds of fun flavors. If you have harder vegetables like sweet potato or squash, pop them in with the lentils. If you like your vegetables firm and only lightly cooked, add them with the greens.

Red lentils cook up the fastest, but you should absolutely try other lentils or another kind of pulse, adjusting your cook times according to the package directions. Maybe you SCored a coveted Rancho Gordo bean club subscription-Can you tell Irene your secret?-in which case most of those beans would be perfectin this dish. You can use water, stock, or coconut milk and adjust the amount of liquid depending on whether you want nore of a thick stew or a thin soup.

SWITCH IT UP

To make a Thai Curried Stew, swap the turmeric, cumin, and coriander for 2 to 4 tablespoons curry paste, found in cans and packets at Asiangrocery stores and many nain- stream supermarkets.

Looking for a rapid-fire dinner? Make a Quick Bean Stew: swap the lentils for cooked or canned chickpeas or other beans, which need only 10 to 15 minutes to thicken.